Biopesticides are biological or biologically derived agents agents, that are usually applied in a manner similar to chemical pesticides, but achieve pest management in an environmentally friendly way. With all pest management products, but especially microbial agents, effective control requires appropriate formulation and application.
Biopesticides for use against crop diseases have already established themselves on a variety of crops. For example, biopesticides already play an important role in controlling downy mildew diseases.
A major growth area for biopesticides is in the area of seed treatments and soil amendements.Fungicidal and biofungicidal seed treatments are used to control soil borne fungal pathogens that cause seed rots, damping-off, root rot and seedling blights. They can also be used to control internal seed–borne fungal pathogens as well as fungal pathogens that are on the surface of the seed. Many biofungicidal products also show capacities to stimulate plant host defence and other physiological processes that can make treated crops more resistant to a variety ofbiotic and abiotic stresses. Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial disease of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera, is a well-known insecticide example.
ITC Labs capabilities
ITC Labs offers fully equipped chemical, microbiological and instrument lab for analysis of Biopesticides to check their strength and effectivity on contaminants with other chemical quality parameters.